Varahi Tantra (English Study)
by Roberta Pamio | 2014 | 29,726 words
This English essay studies the Varahi Tantra and introduces the reader to the literature and philosophy of the Shakta Tradition to which this text belongs. These Shakta Tantras are doctrines where the Mother Goddess is conceived as the Supreme deity who is immanent and transcendental at the same time. The Varahitantra (lit. the "Doctrine of th...
Chapter 19 - The Āmnāyas (traditions), Continued
The chapter continues to present the āmnāyas and some elements of worship, following the second half of the seventh chapter (vv.161-250) and the eighth chapter of the Ciñcinīmatasārasamuccaya
The Uttarāmnāya has been already briefly introduced in the previous chapter, where Kālī is described as the Mistress of the Northern Tradition; the core of the Uttarāmnāya, which is the sequence of the twelve aspects of Kālī (Kālīkrama), is now introduced.
It is said that from the centre of the sun (sūrya) emerges another sun (ravi) whose splendour (bhānu) illuminates the entire world: this light is the Sun-Goddess Bhānavī Kaulinī, and in the middle of the sacrificial hearth (bhānavīkuṇḍamadhye) is the Wheel of Dissolution in the form of Sūryakūlakṛṣodarī (vv.1-19). This nectar of Kula spoken by the Yoginī has been manifested on the earth by Niṣkriyānandapāda, who transmitted the Mahākālīkrama to Vidyānanda (vv.20-27). This is the knowledge of the left path which describes Kālī as the radiance of the twelve Suns (dvādashārkaprabhākālī) (vv.28-79): thus the twelve aspects of Kālī are named as Sṛṣṭikālī (the "Kālī of Creation"), Sthitikālī (the "Kālī of Maintenance"), Saṃhārakālī (the "Kālī of Destruction"), Raktakālī (the "Kālī of Passion"), Sukālī (the "Good Kālī"), Yamakālī (the "Kālī of Control"), Mṛtyukālī (the "Kāli of Death"), Bhadrakālī (the "Auspicious Kālī"), Paramārkakālī (the "Kālī of the Supreme Sun"), Mahāmārtāṇḍakālī (the "Great Sun Kālī"), Rudrakālī (the "Terrible Kālī") and Mahākālī (the "Great Kālī"); in the middle of the circle of these twelve powers is worshipped Kumārī (vv.80-88).
The Paścimāmnāyā is treated briefly: it is said that Kubjeśvarī manifested out of compassion as the Tamarind tree in Candradvīpa (vv.89-94').
Then Bhairava speaks about Siddhakīrtimanu (vv.94"-101'), the three adhikaras (101"-103'), the six organs of senses (103"-108'), the maṇḍala (vv.103"-119), the dīpa (vv.120-149') and the characteristics of the mantra which benefits and of the one which restrains (nugrahanigrahamantra) (vv.149"-162).